Review: Yellowjackets, “Two Truths and a Lie” | Season 2, Episode 5
An exciting episode explores the boundary between scam and self-help
Early in “Two Truths and a Lie,” we hear a story from Akilah about the elaborate ritual she and her teammate Rachel used to practice before every soccer game. Sure, it didn’t do much to break their frequent losing streaks, but that wasn’t the point. “It just felt good, like we could pretend it made a difference,” she says. “It’s not like we really believed in it, not deep down. But we still did it before every game.”
Not only is this a nice character moment for Akilah, but it gets at the heart of the series as a whole, especially this particular season. People rely on rituals to feel safe in times of fear and trauma; the familiarity of a regular routine can provide an illusion of control where there is none, especially with a spiritual component. That’s why Lottie has been able to attract a substantial following in the wilderness. It’s not necessarily that everyone believes she can really communicate with some forest spirit, though enough coincidences have piled up …